A Fresh Look at Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

Hal Harris | Sat, 04/01/2000 - 00:00

Lieb and Yngvason describe in this article how the concept of entropy can be explained without resorting to heat engines or statistical mechanics, and without even the a priori imposition of temperature. Few teachers of chemistry are likely to consider the introduction of the authors' proof, but many may include the idea that entropy determines the possible outcomes of an experiment involving a gorilla and a machine, or a glass of whiskey and a glass of ice.